Guide:Getting Started
Welcome to Caestrom City! If you've gotten to this point, we'll assume you want to join our little role play community and are ready to start creating your first character. This guide should help you through every step of the process. Gender & Sexuality Gender Gender in Ardesh can be as complex and nuanced as it is for us. Each culture, and even sub-culture, has its own perspective on gender. However, you are in no way restricted from having a character with any conceivable gender identity no matter what culture they come from. As mentioned previously, your character's cultural heritage may play a part in at least the expectations placed on them by others with that same heritage, but as a rule, does not define their capabilities or potential to do anything. Ardesh is far more open and egalitarian than our society today. While gender roles do exist, they are mostly carry-overs from times past. In fact, surprisingly, the higher the social ladder one climbs, the less gender becomes an issue. It hardly even merits thought among the aristocracy. It is mainly in lower class, more isolated, traditionalist settings where it comes into play at all. Not only are agender, nonbinary, transgender, and intersex individuals not discriminated against in Ardesh, but they are very common. The empire's lingua franca, Altsha, has even long had specific gender-neutral pronouns for people (rey/rem/res), though since we're using English in place of Altsha, actually using those is up to personal taste. Sexuality In Ardesh sexuality has no stigma and is seen as a very fluid and open thing. Often people don't even consider labels, at least for themselves. In addition, poly relationships of all sorts are rather common, though this varies somewhat from culture to culture. Culture & Ethnicity At present, only human characters are allowed. Folknations All human ethnicities are considered part of one of three greater "Folknations" from which they all originated. Your first step is to pick a Folknation. Stal The Stal make up the largest proportion of the population of any one ethnic family. Generally speaking they have muscular and often hairy torsos and arms and are slightly above average height. In temperament they are often known for being stubborn and set in their ways, but have always proven loyal and are far from fair-weather friends. Stal familial names often either refer to a profession their family is known for, or an important ancestor of that family. Individual unofficial "titles" such as "the Sly" or "Blacktooth" are also common among the Stal. Stal courtship is almost always focused around proving, at least in a ceremonial or metaphorical fashion, that you can and will provide for your partner and make a good addition to their family. Tsiric For various reasons, the "Tsiric Races" as they are often known, have gained a rather undeserved unsavory reputation. Before human slavery was banned, they were commonly used as slave labor alongside the Charg. In appearance, they are generally on the short and squat side of things, with what some might, rather rudely, call "bestial" facial features. In temperament they tend to be rather easy going, cunning, and opportunistic. Tsiric peoples rarely use family names as they commonly do not view heritage and birth relations as being as important as the relationships one makes throughout one's life. Descriptive nicknames are common among Tsirics. Ulthwan Although not the most common ethnic family, the Ulthwan peoples are likely the most well regarded and respected. They tend to be of average height, slender, and are considered generally quite beautiful. Generally speaking, the Ulthwan peoples can be rather intelligent, but are also known for being quite arrogant at times. Ulthwan family names are typically long and complex, more a list of important heritage if not a full genealogy of sorts. As a rule, they generally either shave their heads and faces entirely, or grow their hair long and free. Ethnic Groups Kargit (Tsiric) Merat (Stal) Tarmal (Tsiric) Trusken (Stal) Potentiation Category:Guides Category:Role Play